Stay in the loop

Thursday night Greta Constantine unveiled the second installment of their lower-priced Primer line in the same timeslot as the folks over at the Bay put on a show for the fall line of Mimran-designed Moon. This type of fashion face-off is not rare, but people in the local fashion community never falter at the chance to proclaim who's going where and what's worth going to when.

Opting out of Greta's event in a private Yorkville-adjacent home, I headed for Moon's shindig at the Bell Lightbox, an ostentatious, almost perfect venue still not abused by fashion PR.

And while the first collection debuted just last spring with a simple colour palette based around Heather greys, colourful shades of royal blue, emerald, persimmon and amber for Collection 02 gave the self-proclaimed line of basics - made from cotton jersey and silks - an instant upgrade. As for prices? Look for items to hit stores with tags no higher than $275 (down from collection 01 fetching upwards of $495).

Downtown, Moon sent down its first menswear collection for the lower-priced brand sold exclusively at The Bay. I liked it enough; uncomplicated, everyday items made for the 9-to-5 man. All I thought to call it was some sort of modern "business-casual" until a friend leaned over with, "It looks very Club Monaco circa 1998. I should know since I've bought all these pieces before."

With mostly blacks and beiges and a tartan or a bubble jacket here or there, the similarities were instant. Another acquaintance commented on the likeness to "first wave metrosexuals": put together, but not too daring. Fitted on top, still loose enough in the leg - a.k.a. the days before skinny jeans. Moon is designed as easy male dressing without much fuss or guesswork; he mixes and matches, and he's out the door - just finish the look with a toque, apparently.

Some may say (and have said) all that equals boring. Others think that's the only way menswear will actually sell. I have been looking for a camel cardigan after all. As for the womenswear offering? The showing was solid: you'll wear it to the office, you'll wear it to cocktails at six, and you'll wear it to engagement brunches on weekends.

But because womenswear usually outshines at these things, I keep wondering: what would guys think about the Moon line? Guys out there, in the real world, that aren't saying they love every collection at every fashion party. So tell me, would you actually wear Moon? (Granted you can get past the name.)